GVA Grimley Ltd will hold a public pre-application consultation event to show proposals for the redevelopment of Picardy Place on Friday 6 December. It will take place in Café Camino from 2.00–7.30pm.
The plans are bound up with Henderson Global Investors' St James Quarter on the site of the St James Centre. See Breaking news (14.2.13; 8.10.13; Issue 219).
Substantial changes to the road layout and streetscape, including erection of a hotel where the roundabout now stands, are possible elements of the proposal.
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Bibliophiles wishing to live with the smell of perfect binding, printer's ink and copy-editors' blood, sweat and tears leaching from the gaps in the floorboards may be interested in a proposal for 7 Albany Street (Ref. 13/04437/FUL).
Peter Mackenzie of the Mainstream Publishing (Edinburgh) Co. Ltd, seeks permission to convert the firm's former commercial premises back into a (potentially 7-bedroom) private, residence. There is ample storage.
Mackenzie and joint founder Bill Campbell announced in February that the company would cease publishing new titles on 31 December.
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How wise they were.
On 21 October, developers Colin Redpath Ltd applied for permission to lift the crown of the same trees to give 6m clearance from ground level and reduce their overhang into the car park by 4m (Ref. 13/04437/TPO).
Three of the trees 'would clash with the building in their current state'.
Explaining last week's refusal of the application, the Council's Acting Head of Planning and Building Standards agreed that 'Some pruning to reduce the spread of the trees into the site is required along with some lifting'.
However, Redpath's proposals would 'result in over pruning causing an excessive loss of foliage and large pruning wounds which will damage the health, condition and appearance of the trees'.